Map out a route. Decide as a team the area of town, the specific school and the route to that school to focus on. Local municipal transportation staff can help devise a route as well. It is a good idea to find a route that has both hazardous streets as well as a complete and comfortable street with amenities that can be recreated elsewhere. Do a walkthrough before the event so you know what to expect when leading the tour. If appropriate, invite students to walk or bike along and give them a chance to share their perspectives.

Reach out to state representatives and senators. Tell them why this issue is so important to you, a constituent in their district, and how focusing on this issue will make their district a safer place to live. Find your state representatives here.

Invite members of the press. Once you have set up a route and coordinated with the school and have a set time and date, contact local media. Radio, television, and newspapers are all great, but don’t forget any online blogs with a hyperlocal presence. The more coverage you can get for the event, the more effective you will be spreading the word on this important issue.

Execute the event. With all the planning finished, it’s time for the main event. When walking the route, make sure to point out what is good about a street, or what needs work. At stoplights and intersections, you can ask the group how they feel walking along the street on a scale of 1-5. Think outside the box: not everything is infrastructure related. Consider how safer routes to school will put more eyes on the street that can in turn make neighborhoods safer. Even simple programs like cleaning up trash or debris can encourage walking.

Document the event. Live tweeting with a hashtag is a great way to document the event in real time. Take photos or video. Likewise, stay in touch with the media and share on your social networks what they post. Also share any documentation from fellow campaign member organizations. The more documentation of these walk audits available, the more other people will be encouraged to host an event of their own.